Reversible dress



Jan. 19, 1932. A. J. GREENWICH REVERSIBLE DRESS Filed Dec. 8. 1927Patented Jan. 19, 1932 PATENT OFFICE Arms .1. eREEivwIoII, or CHICAGO,ILLIIioIs nEvEnsIBIiE DRESS Application filed December 8, 1927. Serial110,238,476.

This invention relates to improvements in reversible dresses and similargarments for women and children, and more particularly to a reversibledressfor infants which may be worn with either side exposed withoutdetracting from the, appearance or utility of the same, and which is soadapted that its original shape will not be distorted by repeatedlaundering or wear. I

Infants obviously require one or more changes of their outer garmentsper day, and a considerable number during a week. In most cases theinfants dress is only slightly soiled on the outside thereof, butnevertheless a clean garment must be substituted therefor. Thisnecessitates the laundering of an objectionably large amount of clothingfor the child, if it is desired to maintain a pleasing externalappearance of the child. Obviously any suitable and effective means fordiminishing thenecessarylaundry of an infant are highlydesirable. Adressof the type heretofore known having a right and a wrong side could notbe reversed Without a person becoming aware of this fact at a glance.Reversible dresses of the type heretofore known have provenobjectionable in that they do" not defy-detection of their reversiblecharacter, and become distorted orlose their original shape or design byrepeated laundering and Wearing of the same. I l

'This invention seeks to overcome the abovementioned objections indevices of this character by'the provision of a; dress, both sidesofwhich are substantially equally'attrac-tive, and which may be wornwith either side exposed, eflectively defying detection of thisfact bythe ordinary observer.

Anotherobject of this invention isto provide a reversible dress soconstructed as to retain its original shape anddesign and preventdistortion through repeated launderings and wearings. I

l/Vhile some of the more salient features and characteristics ofgarments embodying this invention have been set forth above, others willbecome apparent from the following disclosures. i

' The invention includes these and other features of construction andcombinations of parts-hereinafter describedand shown in a p'referredformin the drawings as more particularly indicated by the claims.

On the drawings: a

Figure 1 is a front View in elevation of a dress embodying principles ofthe present invention. I v

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the dress reversed.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary rear view in elevation of the dress as shownin Figure 1.

v Figure 4 is a top plan view of the dress, as shown in Figure 1, withparts broken away.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary taken substantially along line V-V of Fig urel.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary substantially vertical sectional view takensubstantially along line VIVI of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along lineVII-VII of Figure 4:. r 7 Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary relativelyhorizontal sectional view taken substan pially along line VIII-VIII ofFigure As shown on the drawings:

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention there is shown adress orgarment comprising a substantially full length skirt portion 1 hennnedat the bottom as shown at 2, a double ply yoke 3 secured to the skirtportion by a circumscribing seam l, which seam-4 also secures a ruffle 5to the dress, and a pair of relatively short sleeve portions 6 securedboth to the skirt portion'l and the yoke 3. It will becomeapparentfromthe disclosureshereinafter, set forth that the dress orgarment embodying the principles of this invention is preferably made ofgoods or materials commonly known as reversible goods, orelse goods thatare substantially alike on both sides. If printed goods are used inmaking this garment the skirt portion must be made of folded or doublethick ness material to provide like appearances of both sides.- It isobvious that the ruffle 5 may be omitted if so desired without detractinmaterially; from the general appearance 0 sectional view the garment. Asis clearly shown on the drawings it is preferable that the skirtportion, the sleeve portions, and the rulile are shirred adjacent allseams securing the same together.

As is shown in Figure 2 the dress may be reversed or in other words,turned inside out without detracting from its general appearance. Ofcourse, when the dress is reversed the ruffle 5, if the same is used,will be on the interior of the dress next to the body of the wearer butthe external appearance will effectively defy detection by the ordinaryobserver that the dress has been reversed. To.

accomplish the desired end certain novel details of construction must beembodied in the dress, and they will now be described.

As more clearly shown in Figure 4 the yoke 3 is formed with two piecesof material, 3a and 3b in juxtaposed relationship, thereby forming adouble ply yoke. Along approximately the median line at the rear of thegarment the yoke is left divided above the seam t to provide theoverlapping ends 7 and 8. The division of the yoke provides room for thehead of the wearer to pass therethrough, after which the yoke may besubstantially closed by complementary andcooperative snap members 9 and10. The snap member 9 is positioned on the inner side of the end 7, andthe snap member 10 on the outer side of the end 8. Due to suchpositioning, the snap members when engaged will be concealed by theoverlapping ends 7 and 8 of the yoke 3 when either side of the yoke isexposed. Obviously a plurality of snap fasteners may be used ontheoverlapping ends, if so desired. The seams 11 and 12 of the overlappedends 7 and 8 respectively, and the yoke 3 have substantially the sameappearance when viewed from either side thereof. To give these likeappearances, seams 11 and 12 are made by diverging the edges of thepieces 3a and 8b, folding them back upon them selves internally of theseams, and sewing them in this position. A single seam 13 circumscribingthe neck opening of the yoke is made in the same manner.

The seam 4 securing the yoke, skirt portion, and ruffle together isformed in sub stantially the same manner previously de scribed hereinand adjacent the ends 7 and 8 of the yoke is doubled back and sewed uponitself thereby giving a shirred effect to the rufile and skirt portionadjacent this point and a seam of double thickness as shown at 14 inFigure 7 In this instance, however, when pieces 3a and 3b of the yokeare divided and folded back upon themselves to give a round exteriorappearance as shown at 15 on both sides thereof, the straight edges ofthe dress and ruflle are secured and are positioned between the foldedback portions of the pieces 3a and 3?) (Figure 7).

Adjacent either side of the dress for a relatively short distance theseam 4E secures only the ruffle to the yoke, the dress depending at thispoint to provide openings for the arms of the wearer. The sleeve portion6 formed with a single strip of material bent upon itself as at 16(Figure 5) at substantially its intermediate line to form a double plysleeve is secured along its lower edges with the skirt portion 1 asshown at 17 and the ends of sleeve 6 are secured on either side of thearm openings to the ruffle and yoke by the seam & as indicated at 18 inFigure 5.

It is-to be especially noted as shown at 19 and 20 in Figure 5 that theweft of the yoke 3 runs transversely to the weft of the skirt portion 1,and since the seam 4 is thereby rendered non-stretchable in anydirection, this structure effectively prevents permanent distortion ofthe dress or garment from the repeated laundering or wearing thereof.

It is also highly desirable, if not necessary, to have the wefts of thepieces 3a and 3b of the yoke running parallel to each other as a meansfor preventing the yoke as a whole from stretching in the same directionas the skirt portion.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided a reversible gament, which is equally attractive from either side thereof, whichprevents detection by the ordinary observer that the garment isreversible, and which is so constructed that it will retain its originalshape and design through repeated laundering.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details ofconstruction may be varied through a wide range without departing fromthe principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purposelimiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by theprior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a reversible baby dress, a skirt portion, an elliptical yoke oftwo overlying pieces of material attached to the skirt by a marginalseam and divided above the seam to provide overlapping ends so that thescam will have a substantially similar appearance from either side, anda pair of sleeve portions secured to said skirt portion and also securedto the yoke on the lower curved edge thereof and extending in inclinedrelation to the major axis of the yoke, the wefts of said yoke piecesbeing parallel to each other and being substantially transverse to theweft of the skirt portion along a major portion of the edge of the yoke.

2. In a reversible baby dress, a skirt portion, an elliptical yoke oftwo overlying pieces of material attached to the skirt by a marginalseam and divided above the seam to provide overlaping ends so that theseam will have a substantially similar appearance from either side, apair of sleeve portions secured to said skirt portion and also securedto the yoke on the lowercurved edge thereof and extending in inclinedrelation to the major axis of the yoke, said sleeve portions being eacha loop formed of a' single strip of material bent upon itself withtheends of the loop secured between overlying plies of the yoke.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed'iny name. i

ANNA J. GREEN W IOH.

